Akira 1

The return of one of the most important manga of all time and the key inspiration behind the cult movie The Matrix.

The film Akira, by Katsuhiro Otomo, was one of the most influential animated films of the last century. It became the gateway between Japanese animation and global audiences. The film, however, was a condensed version of a grander narrative. The six-part manga epic expands the story to the length it truly deserves. It will take you through political and military conflict, the development of telekinetic power, cultic worship of human gods, and an escalation into an apocalyptic crisis. But the core of this story is the personal rivalry between two kids named Kaneda and Tetsuo. When reading Akira I witnessed some of the most beautifully drawn images; the attention to detail in the environments, and the expressiveness of its characters, makes it a manga that is difficult to read through quickly.